Let Me Count the Ways
by LLF
Summary: A grandfather with a secret and a child with a gift. Can Elizabeth and Jack help them find their place in Hope Valley?
1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth looked up from the stack of papers on her desk and surveyed the classroom in front of her. The children were working quietly but they were restless. Their eyes wandered and feet shuffled on the wooden floor. A pencil dropped and was retrieved. There were yawns. She was distracted as well. Sunshine poured through the windows next to her desk and between the tall book shelves. Her brows furrowed as the boys in the back row nudged each other and shook in silent mirth. She stood up at her desk and wandered what seemed to be nonchalantly down the center row between desks. She stopped here and there to glance over work that was being finished. She suppressed a smile as the suspect boys suddenly became absorbed in their books. She studied them suspiciously as she circled behind their bench and then frowned when she saw it.

An oddly tied ribbon held the two braids of the girls sitting in front of them. It was a catastrophe in the making if they were to stand up when dismissed. One would go in one direction the other in another with their braids fastened together. Elizabeth placed a hand on the shoulder of the boy directly behind them and reached across the desk to carefully untie the ribbon. Her fingers squeezed his shoulder firmly and the boy looked up with a guilty grin.

"All right, children," Elizabeth said brightly to the class. "I think that's enough for today. Put your notebooks in your desk and we will correct them together tomorrow." There was a happy clamor as her students cleared their desks and hurried out the schoolroom door. She kept her hand clapped on the boy's shoulder as children filed out into the sunshine. Cody stopped next to her and shifted the lunch bucket he held in his hand as he studied the boy still sitting on the bench.

"Can I walk back to town with you, Tommy?" he asked.

"Oh, Cody," Elizabeth said brightly. "Our wood box is empty and Thomas has volunteered to fill it again before he goes home. Isn't that right, Thomas?" The older boy nodded sheepishly.

"I can help him," Cody offered. "I do it at the café all the time. I'm strong enough." Thomas started to say something but Elizabeth's hand remained on his shoulder. She caught his eye warningly and then she smiled at Cody.

"That's very kind of you to offer, honey, but then Thomas' helpful offer wouldn't be as valuable," she said. "You can wait for him on the steps if you like." Thomas looked up at Elizabeth and nodded slowly. She stepped back as he slipped his book into the desk and swung his legs over the bench. She sighed as she watched the two boys head out the door and straightened as they nearly bumped into Jack.

"Sorry, Constable," they both murmured as they passed him.

"You let them out early today," he said as the door closed behind them. Elizabeth sighed heavily and turned back toward her desk

"I couldn't stand to keep them out of the sunshine one more minute," she said as she straightened the papers into a neat pile and slipped them into her leather satchel. "It's been so dreary and rainy and now….." Jack grinned and nodded as her voice trailed off when she gestured toward the sun drenched window.

"I know," he said as he moved a little closer. They watched out the window as Thomas stacked wood in his arms from the woodpile and headed back around the side of the school. Students were milling about the grassy areas beyond the path and playing with the swing in the tree. A small group of boys were organizing a game of baseball. Cody held the door open as Thomas came in and laid the split wood in the box near the stove.

"I came to tell you that I have a new student for you," Jack said as the boys left for a second load of wood.

"Did another family move to Hope Valley?" Elizabeth turned away from the window to face him.

"Well…sort of," he said. "Lou…Louisa…has been living with her grandfather up in the mountains. He decided to come into town for a few weeks so I got them settled into one of the empty row houses. I thought maybe she could walk to school with you in the mornings."

"That's fine," she said as she took her jacket from the hook on the wall by her desk. "You've never mentioned her before. How old is she?"

"Ummmm….nine? Maybe ten," he said as he held her jacket so she could slip it on. "Old Mackenzie is kind of reclusive and they basically lived by hunting and foraging. I checked in on them now and then when I was doing my rounds."

"I wish you would have told me," Elizabeth scolded as she turned and buttoned the front of her coat. "I could have given you some materials for you to take her to work with. Ten years old? If she has never been to school before, it's going to be difficult to start at the beginning."

"Like I said, her grandfather was kind of reclusive," Jack said again. "Just wait until you meet him." Elizabeth sighed in exasperation again and looked up as Cody held the door open again for Thomas.

"That's enough for today, Thomas," she said as she studied him. "You can finish filling the wood box in the morning. Go out and join your friends for that game." Thomas and Cody exchanged happy grins and raced outside. Elizabeth studied Jack with a frown and then shook her head.

"Ten years old?" she uttered. Jack shrugged and took the satchel from her desk. He grinned and took her hand in his as they crossed the classroom to the door. Jack took a deep breath of fresh, clean smelling air as she locked the doors of the schoolhouse.

"It's a fine day," he said. "Spring is in the air at last." Elizabeth turned back to him with a smile. She glanced toward the children still milling around in play. Glancing coyly at him she pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

"Indeed," she chuckled and then clasp his hand as she tugged him gently down the steps and onto the path toward town.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning dawned crisp and clear. Despite yesterday's sunny reprieve, temperatures had dropped during the night. Elizabeth had wrapped a warm scarf around her neck, wore a knit cap and lined kid gloves but she still shivered. Refrozen slushed mud lined the pathway she followed carefully from the row houses. She was late getting to the schoolhouse so she wasn't surprised to see children gathered near the front steps waiting for her.

"I'm sorry…." she whispered softly to herself. She should have risen earlier. She should have been here to light the fire. It would take a good while for the stove to warm up the schoolhouse in this cold. She longed for the warmth of the sun and green things. She longed for a real spring. Elizabeth shook her head and sighed. It would still be a while before flowers bloomed again in these fields.

"Teacher!" Opal danced toward her from the group gathered at the steps. "Come and see!" The little girl took her hand and tugged her toward the other students. They cleared a path between them so she could see the child on the steps.

"It's a squirrel, Miss Thatcher," Emily exclaimed quietly. "It's a little baby squirrel." A baby squirrel was indeed nestled in a clutch of leaves.

"It's new too," Cody whispered. "It hasn't got any fur yet." Elizabeth's mouth dropped open as she studied the tiny sleeping animal.

"Where did it come from?" she asked. Her eyes lifted slightly to meet the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Thick, sooty lashes lifted as the child grinned. A mass of dark auburn curls tumbled around her face to her shoulders.

"I found it in that nest over there," she said quietly. "There were more too." Elizabeth's eyes widened in alarm.

"You took it from a nest?" she gasped.

"I'm going to put it back," the little girl's grin widened. "I just wanted the other children to see it." Elizabeth lifted her head and looked in the direction the little girl had tipped her head. A leafy mass of a squirrel's nest was positioned high up in the still bare branches.

"You're going to put it back…..there?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, ma'am," came the replay. "It's nothing to shimmy up that tree. I've done it before. I've climbed bigger ones even." The little girl stood up and carefully tucked the baby squirrel and leaves into the front pocket of her oversized, ragged overalls.

"I'm going to take it back now though," she said. "The mama will be getting worried soon." She stood up and made her way confidently past the other students toward the frozen field that was between the schoolhouse and the tree.

"Thomas," Elizabeth directed in dismay. "Go with her and wait at the bottom of the tree in case…..something happens."

"Yes, ma'am," the older boy replied and took off to follow the smaller girl. Elizabeth stood up and surveyed the rest of her class. She handed her key to a girl at the top of the steps.

"Unlock the door, Emily," she said brightly. "As for the rest of you, bring one log or 2 pieces of kindling from the wood pile. Let's get a fire going in the stove." The children moved to follow her directions and she glanced toward the tree in the distance. She shuddered as she saw Thomas waiting patiently as the girl carefully chose the branches she was climbing.

Inside the school, Elizabeth went to the stove and opened the door of the potbellied stove and waited for pieces of kindling to be added. Most of the children literally threw their contributions into the nearby wood box and scurried to the window to watch the girl in the tree. They were chattering as they watched and Elizabeth got the fire going and then joined them. The girl had just dropped down from the lowest branch and was heading back to the school house with Thomas.

"All right, boys and girls," Elizabeth clapped her hands. "She's safe now. Let's get ready for our day. Cody, would you please restack the wood in the wood box?" The little boy nodded and bent to the task as the rest of the children turned away from the window and began putting lunch pails on the shelves and settling themselves on their benches. Elizabeth removed her gloves, cap and scarf as she watched notebooks and books appearing on desks. She unbuttoned her coat but left it on as the air in the room was still frigid. The door opened and Thomas closed it behind them and found his way to his seat in the back of the room. His companion continued up the row of desks to the front of the room studying the books and supplies on each desk with interest.

"Where should I sit, Teacher?" she asked as she looked up at Elizabeth with those brilliant eyes and pushed her raggedly cut curls away from her face. Elizabeth took her hand and turned her to face the class.

"Boys and girls," she announced. "You've already seen what our new student can do but this is…..Louisa?"

"Lou," the little girl said with a smile as she pulled her hand carefully from Elizabeth's. "My pap calls me Lou."

"And you've never been to school before?" Elizabeth asked. The little girl thrust her hands deep into the pockets of her overalls and shook her head. Elizabeth's eyebrows furrowed a bit as her nose filled with a horrible, unrecognizable stench.

"Well, I am sure you will catch on to things quickly," she continued. "You can share a desk with Opal right in the front. She will be a wonderful helper." Lou nodded and rounded the first desk to slide onto the bench next to Opal. The girls directly behind her grimaced slightly and Opal's ready smile began to fade. Lou was oblivious as she dipped her head to peek into the desk's open shelf where supplies were kept.

"I wish you could have seen their faces, Jack," Elizabeth sighed as she slipped the roasting pan with its chicken into the hot oven. "Opal is such a sweet, good hearted little soul and she wrinkled her nose when I said Lou would be sharing her desk." Jack frowned slightly and gazed at her. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and leaned on the table.

"Please tell me that I am not imagining the odor," she asked him. Jack leaned back in his chair and folded his hands behind his head.

"We kept a window open all day," she stated, watching for his reaction. "Those huge overalls that little girl was wearing are filthy." Her voice trailed as she grimaced.

"You know, I think her underwear was sewn on." Elizabeth shuddered.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Jack agreed. Elizabeth's face fell in disbelief.

"It's a different kind of life in a trapper's cabin," he said. "She probably washes her hands and face every day but wouldn't take a bath or wash clothes until the ice in the spring melts. It's still pretty cold up there."

"It's still pretty cold down here," she insisted. Elizabeth dropped into the straight-backed chair next to him.

"What am I going to do, Jack?" she sighed. "She'll never make friends if no one wants to be near her." They sat in silence for a long moment.

"I could take her to the river and maybe…dunk her in," he said finally. Elizabeth's mouth dropped open and she cast a horrified look at him. Jack's eyes twinkled and she pressed her lips together in a suppressed smile.

"That's a horrible thought," she chuckled. "The poor child would freeze." Jack shrugged his shoulders and smiled as he took her hand in his.

"We'll figure something out," he assured her. Elizabeth sighed.

"What if I just went over and had a conversation with that grandfather of hers?" Jack's eyes widened slightly and he leaned back in the chair.

"Have you met him yet?" he asked. Elizabeth shook her head.

"Lou was at school before me this morning and was gone with the others by the time I had locked up to come home," she admitted. 'I didn't see any indication that anyone was home by the time I got here." They both looked up as there was a knock. Elizabeth rose, crossed the small room and opened the front door.

"Ruby?" she smiled as the girl shifted her feet shyly on the steps. She looked up at her teacher and then quickly held out the clothes she had wrapped in her arms.

"Miss Thatcher," Ruby stammered as she saw Jack at the table behind her teacher. "This dress and other things don't fit me anymore. My mama said I could give them to you for Lou to wear." Elizabeth's shoulders sagged as she slowly took the folded dress and pantaloons from the little girl.

"Oh Ruby," she said. "What a dear thing for you and your mother to do for Louisa. Thank you for thinking of her." The little girl beamed and then hopped off the steps and ran off toward her own home. Elizabeth watched her go and then stepped back inside her front door. She closed it and then leaned back against it. She held the pretty little dress up and studied it. It was thread bare and had been neatly patched in one place but it was clean and serviceable. Most importantly it would certainly fit the little mountain girl next door.

"Now you've got another worry," Jack spoke up. Elizabeth refolded the dress as she looked at him quizzically.

"First you have to get that little mountain lion into a bath and the... into a dress," he grinned. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"That's not funny, Jack," she frowned. "That's not funny at all." His eyes twinkled and he reached for her hand to pull her closer. Elizabeth grimaced and then chuckled as she kissed him quickly.


	3. Chapter 3

Abigail Stanton pulled the last of the cloths from the café tables and folded it not so neatly for the pile waiting on the center table. She looked up as there was a light rap on the front door. Her smile widened as she saw Elizabeth peeking through the curtains at the window and gestured for her to come inside.

"I'm so glad you are here already," her friend said as she closed the door behind her. "I burned my biscuits this morning and I had nothing else to pack for Lou's lunch. Do you have anything I can buy?"

"Lou's lunch?" Abigail frowned as she stacked napkins on top of the table cloths. Elizabeth sighed.

"I caught her foraging in the field by the woods yesterday during recess," she explained. "She was so excited to show me the wild onion that she'd found. It had been in the ground all winter but she was planning on eating it for lunch. I told her she needed to bring some food from home to eat but she said there was no need. She'd find something. A frozen onion, Abigail?"

"I'd gather that child has all of your students buzzing with talk," Abigail laughed softly. "Cody couldn't stop going on about her at dinner last night." They both looked up as Clara came into the dining room from the kitchen.

"Good morning, Elizabeth," she nodded with a smile and moved to take the stack of cloths from the nearby table.

"I'll get those, Clara," Abigail stopped her. "Could you get one of the small baskets and put some bread and some pieces of chicken from last night's dinner in it for Elizabeth? And two apples?" Clara nodded and headed back to the kitchen.

"If you burned your biscuits I am guessing that you haven't anything for yourself either," she continued as she turned back to her friend. Elizabeth shrugged wryly.

"Thank you," she chuckled.

"Miss Thatcher!" Cody exclaimed happily as he entered the room with his lunch pail and reading book in hand. "What are you doing here?" He moved to hug his teacher.

"I came by in hopes that you might walk to school with me today," she laughed and returned his hug. "It's your turn to ring the bell, I believe." He nodded with a grin and then looked up at Abigail.

"Can I take another cookie in my lunch today?" he asked. "So I can give it to Lou?"

"Of course you can," Abigail nodded. Cody started to move toward the glass counter where the cookies waited and his eyes came to rest on the pile of table cloths.

"Are you doing laundry today?" he asked. "In the big tubs out back?" Abigail studied him curiously and took the basket Clara brought to her.

"Yes, we are," she said. "All of the tablecloths, napkins and maybe the curtains. That's why Clara is here to help. Mr. Hogan put the tubs out for us last night." She handed the basket to Elizabeth. "Now get your cookies, young man. You are making your teacher late "

"Don't worry about feeding her every day," Abigail said as she moved with Elizabeth toward the front door. "I'll make sure Cody has enough to share with her."

"Thank you, Abigail," Elizabeth said as she hugged her friend. "I really need to that grandfather of hers….and soon." Abigail watched them go and then turned to Clara. They both sighed and gathered up the table cloths and napkins and headed out to their work.

Lou was waiting on the steps of the school house with a few others when they arrived and proudly unlocked the door with the key Elizabeth handed her. She watched with big eyes as Cody pulled the rope that rang the little bell in the bell tower. She slid into the seat with Opal and gently toyed with her seat mate's ever present stuffed bear as Elizabeth set up an arithmetic lesson on the big chalkboard. As the rest of the class went to work, Elizabeth handed a small slate to Lou to practice writing her numbers. The little girl sighed and went to work. Elizabeth saw Opal wrinkle her nose so she moved to the window and slid it open a few inches….and then even more as a warm breeze blew inside. The room got warmer as the day wore on and the odor a bit more pungent. Elizabeth decided to break a little early for lunch and started to call Lou up to her desk to share Abigail's basket when she noticed a steady stream of students at Lou's desk. The little girl stared wide eyed as she was offered a square of corn bread, a slice of dried jerky, a cold baked potato, a biscuit, dried apple slices…and a cookie. The children were all grinning as they watched her.

"Welcome to Hope Valley, Louisa," Elizabeth said quietly as she smiled. She was so very proud of her students at that moment. Who was she kidding? She was proud of their compassion for others every single day.

"It's a beautiful day outside," Elizabeth said as she stood up. "Robert and Henry, get the picnic blankets from the chest and we will take our lunches outside. That way we can share everything." There was a cheer and they gathered their food back into their lunch pails and headed for the door.

"Stay away from the lake," Elizabeth warned. "The water is still too cold and the edge will be muddy and boggy." She followed the last student out and looked up with a smile as Jack rode up on Charger.

"I had a feeling that you might be breaking up for lunch right about now," he said as he dismounted and let the horse walk a bit away to search for grass.

"It's too beautiful to stay inside," she sighed as she glanced toward the two groups of children gathered on the two blankets in the sun on the grass.

"Care to join me?" she asked him. "Abigail packed me a basket for two but it wasn't needed." He shrugged and the two of them sat next to each other on the steps and she spread the napkin from the basket on her lap.

"Why did Abigail pack you a lunch?' he asked as she handed him a cold chicken leg. She shook her head.

"I burned my biscuits this morning and didn't have anything to pack for Lou," she sighed. Jack's grin widened. She glanced at him and then held a finger up.

"Don't say it," she warned him. Jack just grinned wider and took bite of Abigail's chicken. She glanced over and their eyes met. His twinkled and they both laughed softly.

"Well, I am getting better, you know," she grimaced. Jack nodded and took the buttery bread she offered him. They both looked up when they heard the shouts from the lake. She wrapped the napkin in her lap and handed it to him. She stood up as two totally covered with mud figures headed toward the schoolhouse. Laughs and giggles came from the blankets as children gathered around the mud walkers as they made their way toward her. Lou and Cody were laughing but then their smiles faded as they looked up at her stern face. The children around them grew quiet. Lou's blue eyes were huge circles in her muddy face.

"He pushed me," she said as she pointed to the boy next to her.

"I tripped," Cody insisted. "We went down to wash our hands in the lake and I tripped."

"I told everyone not to go down to the lake because of the mud," Elizabeth scolded. "Just look at the two of you."

"I'm sorry but it was an accident," Cody murmured.

"Well, I can't let you back in the classroom in that state," Elizabeth frowned. "The water is too cold to clean off in the lake." They both hung their heads and Lou kicked at the dirt with a worn boot tip. Cody lifted his head suddenly.

"We can go to the café," he said quickly. "Miss Abigail and Clara were doing a big laundry. I bet they are finished by now….and the water might still be warm!" Jack's eyebrows went up and he suppressed a grin as he studied the two children. Elizabeth sighed heavily.

"That has to be the best solution," she nodded. "All right…everyone finish your lunches and off with the two of you but come right back to school when you….are clean again." Lou and Cody exchanged grins and then raced off.

"Cody," Elizabeth called and the boy stopped and came back to her. She leaned down to whisper in his very muddy ear.

"You," she said softly, "are a very clever young man." He grinned and started to hug her but she shrieked and backed away. Jack laughed as Cody backed off and then raced off to join Lou. Elizabeth turned to check the rest of her class.

"Ruby," she called. The girl left the blanket and came forward.

"The clothes you gave me for Lou are in the drawer of my desk," she said. "Would you please get them and take them to Mrs. Stanton at the café? I am so glad we have them today." Ruby nodded happily and hurried up the steps into the school.

"I envy you," Jack said as he stood up and handed the napkin back to her.

"Why?" Elizabeth grimaced as she put their chicken bones back in the basket and shook out the napkin.

"You get to see the little mountain lion…in a dress," he said as he kissed her. "Great plan."

"Cody's plan," she said as she touched his cheek. "I had nothing to do with it." Jack winked and nodded.

"Will I see you for dinner?" she asked as he moved to take Charger's reins again. Jack stepped into the stirrup and swung his leg over the saddle.

"Are you planning on having….biscuits?" he queried from the top of the horse.

"Stop…" she grimaced playfully. He laughed and drew the horse back onto the path toward town. Elizabeth watched him go and then looked back as Ruby hurried down the steps with the dress and pantaloons in her hands. She raced off toward the cafe and Elizabeth turned her attention to the rest of her students. A few were finished and were playing a game of chase. Others basked in the sun on the rough blankets as they ate. She glanced up at the sunny blue sky. It was a beautiful day all around.


	4. Chapter 4

Lou was very shy when she came back to the school house with Cody. The classroom was quiet as everyone read silently after their recess. Cody was grinning as he slipped into his seat and pulled his book out of his desk. He didn't even look at her. Just kept smiling. The schoolhouse door was open a crack and Elizabeth saw Lou peeking around the corner. She motioned for her to enter. Lou's face disappeared and just as Elizabeth was about to go to the door, it suddenly swung wider and the little girl strode into the school room. She made her way up the center aisle and slipped into her seat next to Opal. She folded her hands on her desk and stared straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to the whispers and open mouthed stares that surrounded her. Elizabeth smiled. The dress was a perfect fit. Clean, dark socks were folded over the tops of her worn ankle boots. Her still damp springy curls were pulled back and held off her face with a ribbon over her ear. She was as bright and as shiny as a new penny. Opal couldn't take her eyes off her seat mate.

"Oh….Lou," she sighed quietly as she hugged Brownie close. "You look so beautiful. Just like a princess"

"Indeed you do, sweetheart," Elizabeth whispered as she knelt down next to Lou. "We are reading right now so why don't you go choose a book that you like from the shelf and bring it to my desk for your first reading lesson?" Lou nodded and made her way back up the aisle toward the back of the room where the book shelves were. Ruby watched as she passed and nodded with a satisfied smile before bending back to her book. Elizabeth went back to her desk and her eyes widened as she saw the big, heavy book Lou was clutching to her chest. She dropped it on the desk in front of Elizabeth.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

Elizabeth's mouth dropped open. She looked up at Lou's expectant face.

"This one might be a little difficult right now, Lou," she said softly. "Maybe we should save this for another time."

"Pap has this book at home," Lou said as she caressed the tooled leather cover. "It's not as nice as this one but the words inside are the same, right? I can read his so I can read this." Her fingers worked open the book and she flipped pages until she found the one she was looking for.

"Mr. Shakespeare was a playwright," Lou explained. "Pap says he is a writer for actors and actresses so they can tell stories on a stage for people to watch. This is my favorite. It's called A Midsummer Night's Dream." Elizabeth was incredulous as Lou explained the rudiments of the story - about royalty and weddings and fairies and magic potions.

"This is my favorite part," she said as she tipped her curly head over the page and followed the lines with her finger. "If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended, that you have but slumbered here, while these visions did appear…" She raised her head and looked at her teacher with a slight frown.

"That's old English talk for falling asleep and dreaming everything," she explained. Lou went back to the book and continued through the rest of Puck's monologue without missing a word, with perfect diction and inflection. The words were actually coming to life in her voice. Elizabeth looked up and the rest of the class was watching and listening intently as well. Lou finished the last line and looked up with a pleased smile. There was silence and then the class began to clap. Elizabeth wrapped an arm around the little girl and hugged her.

"That was beautiful," she said. Lou started flipping pages.

"There are other things I like too," she said. "Romeo and Juliet was my granny's favorite. I don't remember her because she died when I was really small but I like to story because Pap says she did. Pap's favorite is…" Her hands were flipping through pages and Elizabeth finally reached over and took her hand in her own.

"You are very excited about reading, Lou," Elizabeth said. "This book would be too heavy to carry back and forth from school. How about if we find a smaller book for you? And you can read aloud from this one to the class now and then?"

"Yeah….that would be great…." The boys and girls all sat up and nodded. A few of the younger ones clapped. Lou shrugged.

"In the meantime…" Elizabeth looked around in thought.

"I just finished this one, Miss Thatcher," Ruby offered as she held up her book. "It's called The Secret Garden. You would like it, Lou."

"Yes, you would. It's a perfect choice," Elizabeth said brightly. "Thank you so much, Ruby." Lou moved to take the slim book from the older girl and slid back into her seat. She continued to look longingly at the big book on Elizabeth's desk for a moment and then opened to the first page of her new book. Elizabeth watched her and then straightened with resolve. She was going to talk to Lou's grandfather…today.

They walked home from school together, first stopping at the café to collect Lou's now clean overalls and long underwear. They were still damp and Abigail told her to hang them up in the house to finish drying. She also gave her a shortened night dress that had belonged to Becky with firm instructions to wear it when she slept. The little girl was fairly bouncing as they walked the board walks of town toward the old row houses where they lived. She chattered on about about everything she was seeing. She greeted everyone she met with a bright, contagious smile.

"I'm looking forward to meeting your grandfather, Lou," Elizabeth said as they turned on the road at the other end of town. Lou stopped in her tracks.

"Pap can be grouchy sometimes," she said. "But it don't mean nothing toward you. He's just hurting." Elizabeth's steps slowed as Lou began walking with her again.

"Does he hurt a lot?" she asked. Lou shrugged.

"I guess," she shrugged. "Sometimes he doesn't want to get out of bed. He feels better when he's all warm."

"But who takes care of you when that happens?" Elizabeth frowned.

"I take of me," Lou giggled. "And I take care of Pap."

"That's a big job for a little girl." Lou shrugged and then looked ahead at the row houses. She broke into a huge grin and danced ahead of her teacher. She stopped in front of an old man sitting on a wooden stool in front of the last row house. Elizabeth stopped and watched as Lou held out the skirt of her dress and chattered a mile a minute. It was when she pointed in Elizabeth's direction that her teacher moved forward again.

"Mr. Mackenzie," she said. "I am Elizabeth Thatch…' Her voice caught as the old man looked up at her. He was as dirty and as unkempt as Louisa had been. His hair was just as curly and longer but tied back with a leather thong. A heavy graying beard covered his chin and cheeks. But what had stopped her was the angry looking scar that raked in three lines from his eyebrow to his cheek. Only one blue eye scowled back at her.

"Elizabeth Thatcher," she repeated firmly and offered her hand. Mackenzie looked down at her hand and then back up at her face. Elizabeth brought her hand back and gave Louisa's bundle of clothes to her.

"Remember what Mrs. Stanton said about hanging them up to finish drying," she reminded the girl and then turned back to her grandfather. "Lou is very self-sufficient for a ten year old. And I found out today that she is also a wonderful reader.

"She's eight," the old man growled.

"I'm nine," Lou insisted in exasperation. "It says so in Gran's Bible. Louisa Sorcha Mackenzie, born January 24, 1905."

"Yep, somewhere around in there," the old man said never taking his gaze from Elizabeth. "Your gran would know."

"And is that the Bible she learned to read from?" Elizabeth continued brightly. "I did not know that she could read so beautifully."

"You didn't tell her that you could read?" he snarled at the little girl.

"She didn't ask," Lou insisted.

"You don't talk to your students?" Elizabeth' mouth dropped and she started to speak and then stopped.

"There were…other issues," she said quickly. "It was very nice meeting you…"

"There's a stew in the pot on the stove," he interrupted as he turned to his granddaughter and tipped his head toward the door of the house. Lou grinned at Elizabeth and then climbed up the steps and disappeared into the house.

"Where did she get the clothes?" Mackenzie asked.

"Well, one of my students had outgrown it…." Elizabeth explained. "And since she fell in the mud toda…."

"Where can she get more?" he interrupted. Elizabeth was taken aback and straightened her shoulders.

"I..um…" she stammered. Mackenzie adjusted the wooden cane in his hands and stared up at her.

"If she is living in town she needs town clothes," he stated firmly.

"Clara is a wonderful seamstress," Elizabeth offered. "And there's a new dress shop in town but that…"

"There's money in the bank," the man said as he stood up from the stool and leaned heavily on his cane. "Jack can take care of that for you." Elizabeth stepped back as he moved toward her to get to the steps and watched as he eased himself slowly up the steps and followed Lou into the house. She sighed deeply and then scowled slightly before heading toward her own front door. She'd be having a stern talk with him at dinner.

"You should have warned me, Jack," Elizabeth dropped the ladle in the pot of with a splash. He leaned back quickly but still wiped soup drops from his face. He suppressed a grin as Elizabeth attacked the loaf of bread with a slicing knife.

"I thought I did," he shrugged. Elizabeth frowned at him.

"You asked me if I'd met him yet," she said as she slapped a ragged slice of bread on his plate. "Well, I did today. He is the most exasperating…"

"Not like Lou at all," she finished. She sighed heavily and dropped her hands into her lap. Jack studied her as he lifted a spoonful of soup to his lips.

"What do you know about him, Jack?" she asked. "Where did he come from? How did they end up in the mountains?" His spoon dropped back into his bowl.

"I have no idea," he said. "I just happened on them in the woods one day. They were hunting turkeys, if I remember right. Almost caught an axe in the back of my head."

"Jack!" Elizabeth gasped. "An axe?" He nodded and lifted his spoon again.

"They were hunting with snares and the axe was for the uh…." His spoon dropped again at her horrified face. "It was just a small Scottish fighting axe." The horrified look changed to one of deep thought. He filled his spoon and tried again.

"Do you think he emigrated from Scotland?" she asked as her forehead puckered. "But, I don't recall hearing a brogue when he was snarling at me. Its kind of hard to lose an accent unless you are trying to." Jack sighed and put his spoon back in his soup. "And why would he move to the mountains? Most emigrants stay close to the cities for work…." Her eyes dropped to his bowl and then back to his face.

"Why aren't you eating?" she frowned. "Is something wrong with the soup?" She leaned down to sniff her bowl. "It smells fine." Jack took her hand and pressed a kiss to her fingers.

"I love that you worry about your students so much," he said. She smiled and shook her head slightly.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "Dinner…" She tasted her soup.

"Do I need to reheat it?" she asked. Jack laughed and shook his head. She looked down at his mangled slice of bread and grimaced. Her eyes met his and they both laughed.


	5. Chapter 5

Lou positioned her boots carefully on the tree branch, braced herself against the tree trunk and peered cautiously into the open knot hole. She smiled and then made her way back down the branches to the ground. She adjusted the dark woolen skirt of her new dress.

"It's a raccoon all right," she told the gathering of children waiting for her at the base of the tree. "I saw three babies in there."

"Can't you bring one out so we can see it?" Ruby implored. Lou studied the tree again and then shook her curly head.

"Pap said I shouldn't do that anymore, He said wild animals don't like the smell of soap," she explained as she picked her way through the circle of children and they followed her as she led them through the weed filled meadow toward town.

"He said the mamas might get too excited and bite me or eat their babies," she went on.

"Eeeewww," Emily whimpered.

"Your grandfather knows an awful lot about wild things, Lou," Cody noted admiringly.

"Maybe he should come to school one day and teach us," Robert suggested as he whipped at some tall weeds with a stick.

"That's a good idea, Robert!" Cody agreed. "I bet Miss Thatcher would let him. We should ask her!" Lou stopped in her tracks and shook her head.

"He wouldn't come. Pap doesn't like other people much," she sighed. She kicked at a root with the toe of her boot.

"Not even kids?" Emily asked as she slipped an arm around Lou's shoulder. Lou looked at her friend and shook her head.

"But….why?" Timmy asked. Lou thought for a moment

"He looks…..different," she replied after a moment. "I think he doesn't want to scare anyone." The children all looked at each other in confusion.

"Does he scare you?" Timmy asked worriedly. Lou's shoulders sagged and she shook her head.

"Of course not," she scoffed. "He's my Pap!" She looked around at the others and then grinned.

"Race you to the water tower!" she hollered. There was a mad scramble as they all dragged their feet through the mud and weeds and onto the path that led past the schoolhouse and lake. They tore off toward the tall water tower, laughing and shouting as they ran.

All but one.

A tiny little blonde tucked a stuffed brown bear under her arm and headed off in the opposite direction.

Mackenzie was sitting on the stool next to the stoop of the last row house. He was enjoying the warm afternoon as he leaned back against the sun soaked boards and eased the ache in his bones. The pounding his head was gone. It was a good day for once. He sighed deeply and then frowned. Something was different. He opened his eye

She stood directly in front of him with a toy bear clutched tightly to her chest. Her eyes widened ever so slightly as she took in the scars that raked across half his face but then gathered her composure and spoke.

"Hello," she said brightly. Her forehead puckered in consternation. "Did a bear do that to your face?"

"It was a cougar," the old man muttered. "It was after my goats." She nodded in understanding and then studied his face again.

"Does it hurt?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Not that," he replied. "Not anymore. It happened a long time ago." He watched as she studied him for a long moment and then reached out to gently touch his scarred cheek with her finger tips.

"It's not so scary looking," she assured him. "People won't care."

"Opal!" The little girl stepped back quickly as she was startled to hear her name spoken so sharply. She looked over as Elizabeth and Jack hurried past Elizabeth's house toward her. Rip bounded down the path in front of them.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here alone?" Elizabeth asked as she knelt in front of the little girl. "You are so far away from town."

"Brownie and I just came to say hello," she said as she gestured toward Mackenzie. "He's my friend." Elizabeth glanced up at her neighbor and he frowned and looked away. Elizabeth stood up and brushed off her skirts.

"Well, I'm taking you back to town right this minute," she muttered. "Your mother is probably worried sick."

"She's not worried," Opal said. "She's at Mrs. Ramsey's dress shop. We're having a dress made."

"I'll take her back," Jack offered. "Hold on to Brownie." Opal shrieked happily as Jack swung her up on to his shoulders. She looked down at Mackenzie.

"You should come to town too," she said with a smile. "We're very nice."

"That we are," Jack agreed as he started back down the dirt lane toward town. Elizabeth watched them go and then turned back to the man on the stool.

"Please don't mind Opal," she apologized. "She's the sweetest little thing really and thinks that everyone is her frie…"

"I know," he interrupted. "Didn't pay no mind to her." He closed his eye and settled back in the sun. Elizabeth frowned a bit at his rude dismissal and then started toward her own stoop. She watched Jack disappear around the corner with Opal on his shoulders. The little girl was right. People in Hope Valley were nice. If tiny little Opal could see past the man's surly rudeness, then so could she. Elizabeth turned around quickly and moved back toward the old man. She stood in front of him and drew herself to her full height and took a deep breath.

"Mr. Mackenzie," she said sharply. His eye opened and he studied her. Elizabeth swallowed.

"Mr. Mackenzie," she repeated firmly. "You and Lou are expected at my dinner table tonight when Jack returns. We are having stew." His mouth dropped open as she turned on her heel and headed to her own steps, climbed them with determination and slammed the door behind her. She leaned back against the closed door and smiled to herself. And the little children will lead, she thought to herself. She was still smiling as she gathered the plates and dinner utensils for the table.


	6. Chapter 6

"I don't know how I let Rosemary talk me into this whole…recitation night," Elizabeth grimaced as she shook her head. Abigail scoffed and tucked her arm through her friend's elbow as they walked through the meadow in the evening sunlight.

"I was there, remember?" she chuckled. "You didn't have much of a chance to say no."

"I haven't been able to get the children to concentrate on anything else this week," Elizabeth went on. "Everyone has gone off in their little groups to practice at every opportunity."

"Cody won't say a word about what the boys are planning," Abigail smiled. "Not even for help with a costume."

"I'm a little worried about them," Elizabeth sighed. "Jack and Bill gave them some ideas but all they seem to be doing is playing or talking baseball. The little ones are doing nursery rhymes and the older girls are all enamored with Emily Dickinson and the Brontes. There's a lot of giggling and….swooning…going on." Abigail laughed and her grasp tightened on Elizabeth's arm.

"Well it is spring," she said brightly. Elizabeth grimaced and shook her head.

"They're school girls, Abigail," she admonished. Abigail smile faded and nodded seriously and then they looked at one another before dissolving in giggles.

"What about Lou?" Abigail asked when they were composed again. Elizabeth's shoulders sagged.

"Another worry," she sighed. "I can't seem to pin her down to anything. One day she is doing her favorite bit from Puck and the next is wallowing in the death scene from Romeo and Juliet,"

"And probably doing it very well," Abigail interrupted.

"Yes," Elizabeth sighed. "And I am afraid that grandfather of hers won't be around to see it. She's going to be so disappointed."

"He might come," Abigail suggested hopefully. "He seems much better. He actually came in to the café to buy some bread."

"…and through the front door!" she added incredulously.

"He made arrangements for Lou to pick up another loaf after school every day," Elizabeth nodded absently. "She told me." Elizabeth stopped and gazed across the pond in front of them.

"I hate that I don't know what is going to happen tonight." She sighed and gazed at her friend's sympathetic face. "It feels so…out of control." Abigail patted her hand sympathetically.

"What's going to happen is the children are going to do fine," she reassured her. "Parents are going to love it and Rosemary will get more support for the Hope Valley Theater she hasn't given up on."

"You're right," Elizabeth sighed heavily. They turned and made their way through the meadow toward the school house where people were already beginning to gather.

It wasn't long before the schoolroom was packed with people. Standing room only packed. Elizabeth glanced around anxiously. Her students were gathered in the first rows and on the floor. Their faces were flush with excitement and anticipation as they waited patiently. Still, there was a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She looked up as the back door of the school opened and Jack slipped inside. She inched over on the first bench so he could sit beside her.

"Where have you been?" she whispered desperately. "You've been gone all day." He grinned and took her hand in his as he settled next to her on the narrow bench.

"I had to go get something from his cabin for Mackenzie," he whispered in reply. Elizabeth's head swung back to the group of children. She scanned their faces again.

"Lou isn't here," she squeaked nervously. Jack's fingers tightened around hers reassuringly.

"Give her a minute," he said calmly. The front door opened wide and there was murmuring from the gathered parents by the door. Elizabeth craned to see as did others in the room. Lou made her way down the crowded center aisle holding fast to the hand of her grandfather.

Albeit a very different grandfather.

He leaned heavily on his cane but that was all that was the same. His beard was neatly trimmed and the long hair tied back under a black knit tam that hung over the scar where his eye would have been. He wore a heavy deep green shirt that was tucked into a wide leather belt that held a kilt in place. An actual kilt. Thick socks covered his legs from the knees to the boots he wore. Jack was grinning widely when Elizabeth turned her head to look at him. She turned back to the crowd as someone stood up and let Mackenzie ease himself onto one of the school benches. Lou made her way to the group of students and sat on the floor next to Emily. Her curls were rumpled and her face streaked with dirt but she was grinning from ear to ear. Jack squeezed Elizabeth's hand again and she exchanged grins with him. She took a deep breath and started to rise to welcome people to the program. Phillip stood up and stopped her.

"It's okay, Miss Thatcher," he said. "We can take it from here." There was a ripple of laugher and Elizabeth shrugged happily and sat back on the bench. On Rosemary's cue the boys stood up and jostled their way into a straight line in front of the chalk board. The boys unbuttoned their shirts and dropped them to the floor and they all stood in their baseball shirts. Cody moved into batting position and Robert pretended to wind up for a pitch. Philip took a deep breath and then began his recitation.

"The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville Nine that day," Philip said. "The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play." Elizabeth began to smile as one by one the boys stepped forward to complete a stanza as they recited – no acted out – Casey At Bat. It was perfect and the applause was thunderous when they finished.

They were followed by Emily….and then Laura….and Anna…..all with perfectly executed pieces of their favorite poetry. Even Opal and Maisie recites pages from their favorite book, 'Flower Children', together.

The last to step forward to recite was Lou. Rosemary handed her a shawl and the little girl pulled it over her shoulders as she took her place in front of the group gathered and waiting. She was barefoot. Her cheeks were smudged and her red curls an unruly riot of color around her face. The room was silent as they waited.

"It was biting cold, and the falling snow, which filled a poor little match girl's heart with woe," she began quietly. "Who was bareheaded and barefooted, as she went along the street, crying, who'll buy my matches? For I want pennies to buy some meat!" Chills crawled up Elizabeth's arms and the back of her neck as she watched the tiny, little girl before her. It was more than a simple recitation. Much more. The audience was riveted. Lou did more than simply recite. She WAS the Little Match Girl.

"In that mighty city of London, wherein is plenty of gold— Yet alas…their charity towards street waifs is rather cold," she finished quietly. "But I hope the match girl's in Heaven, beside her Saviour dear, a bright reward for all the hardships she suffered here." There was utter silence for a brief moment and then the quiet applause began. Jack rose to his feet and others followed. Lou stood there with a hint of an embarrassed smile and twiddled with ends of the shawl she wore. Rosemary wiped tears from her eyes and was the first to reach the little girl to hug her. But Lou had eyes only for the man still seated on the aisle in front of her. He sat with both hands on the head of his cane braced in front of him. He was unsmiling but nodded slowly. Elizabeth sighed with relief and leaned back against Jack slightly. He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and they joined in the applause as Rosemary ushered all of the children to the front of the room to take dramatic bows.

There were cookies to be passed out, parents to be thanked and benches to be straightened for Sunday services so it was late when Elizabeth locked the doors of the school and headed back into town with Jack.

"You knew," she scolded him playfully as he drew her warm shawl closer about her shoulders.

"Lou wanted to surprise you," he grinned. "She's been planning it for days."

"Well, she did," Elizabeth laughed softly. "They both did." They walked in silence for a moment.

"I'm worried about them, Jack," she said finally. "He's in so much pain most of the time. She can't take care of him that much longer. She's just a little girl. What will happen to her if something happens to him?" Jack shook his head and threaded his fingers through hers. He took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to her forehead as they continued toward her little house.

'They'll be fine," he assured her.

 _Poems alluded to: Casey at Bat by William Ernest 1888, The Little Match Girl by William McGonagall 1890, Flower Children by Elizabeth Gordon 1910_


	7. Chapter 7

Elizabeth glanced down at the little girl walking from school beside her and suppressed a smile. Lou held the folded papers in her hands as if it were a treasure.

"I'm going to give this to Pap right away, Miss Thatcher," she said. "Should I come and tell you what he says about it?"

"He might want to think about it a bit, Lou," Elizabeth replied. "He has the entire weekend to decide. Don't rush him." Lou nodded and climbed the steps to the boardwalk in front of Abigail's café.

"Elizabeth. Lou," Rosemary smiled as she approached from the other end of the boardwalk. "Have I told you, young lady, what a wonderful job you did with your recitation piece the other night?"

"Yes," Lou said politely as her brow furrowed in thought and then she held up her fingers. "Three times." Rosemary laughed and folded a fourth finger up on Lou's hand.

"Well, make this the fourth time," she laughed. "Are you having tea at the café? Lee is working late tonight so I thought I would treat myself."

"No," Elizabeth sighed. "I have a stack of essays I need to read and grade before tomorrow. We're just stopping to get bread for Lou's grandfather." As if on cue the café door opened and Mackenzie joined them on the boardwalk. He wore his buckskins and had the tam pulled over his scars. He carried a paper wrapped loaf of bread in his hands.

"Pap!" Lou exclaimed. She held out the note in her hands.

"It's for you, Pap," she said happily. "It's an invitation to come to school and teach us about animals. Anna got picked to write it out because she has the best handwriting. But we all thought about what to write and about things we want to know about. Won't you come, Pap? Please?"

"What a wonderful idea," Rosemary nodded. Mackenzie glanced from the paper in his granddaughter's hand to her expectant face to Elizabeth.

"It was their idea," Elizabeth reassured him. Mackenzie took the paper from Lou and the little girl beamed. Then he straightened as the stage pulled away from the stop across the lane. Elizabeth turned to see what had caught his attention.

There was a new arrival standing next to a bulging carpet bag. She was dressed in a stylishly cut travel dress and held an umbrella in her hand as she looked around. It was her hair that made her stand out. It was caught in a thick, long braid over her shoulder and was a rich auburn color Elizabeth had seen before. Every day in the school room, in fact. She turned her gaze back to Mackenzie. He took a deep breath and rubbed a hand on his bearded chin as he stared at the figure on the boardwalk.

"I simply do not believe it," Rosemary breathed softly as she studied the new arrival. "That's Maeve Muirreall. Here in Hope Valley?"

"Who is that Pap?" Lou asked as she looked up at her grandfather. "Is it someone you know?" Elizabeth glanced from Lou to Mackenzie to Rosemary. One was curious. One bordered on angry and Rosemary was….well…Rosemary. Fawning from a distance.

"That," Mackenzie drawled slowly. "….. is your mother." Lou's mouth dropped open in surprise and she turned to study the stranger more intently. The woman had been looking around and her gaze came to rest when she saw them.

"Oh," Rosemary's eyes widened and she shifted her feet as she glanced from the woman at the depot to the wide eyed little girl in front of her.

"Come along, Louisa," the older man ordered sternly. Lou dragged her eyes from her mother and took her grandfather's hand as he turned and walked away from them toward the path leading to the row houses. She went with him but turned her eyes back to the stage stop.

"Well, that certainly explains a few things," Rosemary said as they left.

"What does it explain, Rosemary?" Elizabeth asked as she dragged her eyes from the woman at the stage platform. Her friend had already started down the steps and past her toward the stranger.

"Rosemary!" Elizabeth hissed in frustration. "What does it explain?" But Rosemary had crossed the lane and was on the boardwalk at the station. Elizabeth's shoulders sagged and she sighed heavily. She climbed the steps to the café porch and turned around as Rosemary called to her. The other two women were headed to the café.

"And this is Elizabeth Thatcher, our school teacher," Rosemary said as she led the way up the steps. The woman behind Rosemary carried her bag and turned her eyes – Lou's vibrant blue eyes – up to Elizabeth with a smile.

"I'm Maeve….Mackenzie," she said. "Mrs. Coulter – Rosemary – said this was the best place in town to get something to eat? But it looks like the only place."

"Well, there is the saloon," Elizabeth offered with a laugh. "But the specialty there is beans and bacon."

"Will you be joining us, Elizabeth?" Rosemary asked as she held the café door open. Elizabeth thought carefully for a split second. The essays could wait. She nodded and followed them in the door.

"Oh this is perfect!" Maeve sighed a few minutes later as Abigail set a bowl of steaming stew in front of her. "I'm starving. I had no idea that I needed to take a stage for the last bit of travel. I wasn't prepared."

"The railway is coming to Hope Valley," Abigail said as she took a seat at the small table. "Eventually. They are laying rails now."

"Lee and I saw Maeve on stage during our wedding trip," Rosemary offered excitedly. "Her rendering of Desdemona was just…..inspiring. Truly inspiring." Elizabeth caught the slight roll in Maura's eye as she was lifting a spoonful of stew to her lips and smiled.

"And what brings you to our little town?" Rosemary asked.

"He sent for me," Mauve stated flatly. "I would have come sooner but I was working in Toronto. When I went home to New York there was a letter with my bank from him." Rosemary frowned in dismay.

"But if he sent for you," she said, "why didn't he greet you at the stage?" Maeve shrugged her shoulders.

"He hasn't changed much," she offered.

"Maybe you should stay with me?" Elizabeth offered. 'My house is close to his and I have an extra room."

"He won't turn me away," Maura responded with confidence. "He loves me."

"He does have an extra bed in the upstairs room," Abigail said.

"I loaned Lou some bedding," Elizabeth nodded. "I even helped her make the bed up but she sleeps…."

"In a bear skin close to the fire," Maeve interrupted knowingly. Elizabeth nodded.

"She said she wants to be closer to him at night," she said. "In case he needs anything." Maeve nodded knowingly.

"Does she come to school?" Maeve asked as she buttered a slice of bread. Elizabeth nodded.

"Since they moved into town two months ago." Maeve took a bite of her bread and chewed it thoughtfully.

"What is she like?" she asked finally.

"She's certainly full of life, that one," Abigail chuckled. "There's a new Lou story every night at our dinner table."

"She reads better and understands new things faster than any student I have ever had," Elizabeth added. "Arithmetic is harder but she's progressing."

"And she can hold an audience in the palm of her hand," Rosemary gushed. "She did a recitation of The Little Match Girl that was simply…"

"This stew is delicious," Maeve interrupted. "How often does my father eat in town?"

"He hasn't ever eaten in town," Abigail answered her. "Lou comes in for a loaf of bread on her way home from school every day but that's all."

"I'm not surprised," Maeve sighed. She sat back against the café's chair and studied the pretty teacup in its saucer before her. Her long fingers toyed with the delicate handle and then she looked up at the three women who were watching her.

"My parents came to Canada as 'home children'" she said. "Do you know what that is?"

"Of course," Elizabeth said without taking her eyes from Maeve's face. "My mother and her friends were benefactors of the children's home in Hamilton. They would collect clothes and shoes for new arrivals."

"Home…..children?'" Rosemary's brow furrowed. Abigail touched her hand gently and Rosemary looked at her as she spoke quietly.

"Orphans were brought from destitute areas in England and other places to new homes in Canada."

"Oh…." Her frown changed from confusion to sadness. She reached a gloved hand to the top of Maeve's and patted it. "How wonderful that they were able to find new families." A cynical smile teased at Maeve's lips.

"My mother was adopted by the Stocktons of New Brunswick," she said as she straightened. "They were an older couple with two grown sons. They wanted a daughter and she was eight."

"How sweet," Rosemary breathed softly. She folded her hands together and shrugged happily. Abigail shook her head slightly as Elizabeth continued to intently watch the young woman in front of her.

"As a Stockton she had the best of everything," Maeve went on. "Pretty clothes….the best education for a young lady at the time…..parties…and they encouraged her memories of all the things she knew of Scotland." Rosemary's smile widened. Maeve sighed and her eyes fell to the teacup again.

"When she was fifteen and making plans for her debutante season, the Stocktons died within a week of each other," Maeve looked up as Rosemary gasped. Her eyes fell back to the teacup.

"Her 'brothers' came in and sold everything and left her with nothing," she said. "They said she wasn't a real Stockton after all." Her fingers drummed on the white table cloth.

"What did she do?" Abigail asked.

"A friend of the family made arrangements for her to be a governess," Maeve said. "She packed a trunk with a few clothes she thought would be serviceable, some jewelry pieces she was able to get past her brothers and two books."

"The Complete Works of William Shakespeare," Elizabeth stated flatly. Maeve looked at her and nodded.

"Yes," she affirmed. "And the Bible her parents gave her when she was ten."

"Your father taught Lou to read with those books," Elizabeth offered.

"Just as my mother taught him and later me," Maeve nodded.

"Your father didn't go to school?" Rosemary asked. Maeve shook her head.

"My father was eleven when he arrived so he was taken in by a family that needed help on their farm," she answered. "He was paid with clothing and new boots at Christmas time. As he got older they hired him out to other farmers and kept the money for his room and board. "

"This is so sad," Rosemary broke in.

"How did they meet each other?" Abigail asked.

"At church," Maeve said. "My father had to attend as part of the placement contract. He was a Mackenzie and discovered that my mother was a MacLeod from the same Highland clan. His family had done what they could to erase that part of him and my mother gave it back to him. They ran away together, worked their way across the country looking for a place to live, got married after two years and settled…..here. They moved far away from everyone and built their cabin. There was no town or other people around. That was how my father liked it. He hated people. He didn't trust anyone. I was born eventually. "

"And you left," Rosemary blurted.

"And I will be leaving again," she said. "I have to be in London by the end of summer. They are holding a place for me with the Royal Playhouse."

"And what about….Lou?" Elizabeth spoke quietly and to the point. Maeve frowned slightly and studied the faces of the women sharing her table.

"Maybe her father….." Rosemary started. Maeve snorted in a feigned laugh.

"Just a roaming trapper that paid a little attention to lonely young girl," she retorted bitterly. "He promised to take me away but I never saw him again. No one was more surprised than I was when Lou was born." She dropped her napkin on the table and started to gather her things.

"I should probably find my way to where they are living before it gets too dark," she mused.

"I live nearby," Elizabeth said. "You can walk with me." Maeve nodded.

"Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Stanton," she said as she stood up. "It was wonderful meeting you both. I'm sure we will see each other again. Especially if my father's cooking hasn't progressed beyond squirrel." Abigail's eyes twinkled and Rosemary's mouth dropped open in horror. Maeve grinned as she followed a chuckling Elizabeth to the door where she picked up her carpet bag.

Main Street was quiet as they made their way through town to the lane leading to the row houses.

"I want to thank you for listening to everything tonight," Maeve said as Elizabeth kept in step beside her. "I've never been able to talk to anyone about my family before." Elizabeth shook her head sadly.

"I'm so sorry about that," she said. "It hasn't been the best of life for any of you. Especially Lou."

"She was named after my favorite author," Maeve said brightly. "Does she know that?"

"Louisa….May Alcott?" Elizabeth stopped in her tracks and Maeve nodded. She laughed at Elizabeth's frown.

"My mother traded with settlers passing through for books," she explained. "There were several in the loft where I slept…..and read. I always wondered if my mother would have given them to her."

"Lou said that she was pretty young when her grandmother died," Elizabeth mused as she started walking again. She stopped in front of the steps of her house.

"There it is," Elizabeth said as she nodded toward the house just past her own.

"You really are welcome to stay here with me," she offered again. "You'll still be close by." Maeve studied the lighted windows of Mackenzie's house and then shook her head.

"No," she said firmly. "He sent for me. I need to be there." Elizabeth nodded in understanding and watched the woman head for her father's house.

"Oh….Maeve," Elizabeth stopped her and smiled as she turned back. "Jack and I are going to his property tomorrow. We're building a house and some friends are coming. I could use some help with the picnic lunch if you and Lou would like to lend a hand. It would give you a chance to spend some time with her. Maybe get to know some of the other people she knows." Maeve nodded slowly.

"I'd like that," she said. She lifted a hand in a wave and climbed the steps to the little row house. She didn't bother to knock and just disappeared through the open door. Elizabeth turned to her own house and slowly and thoughtfully climbed the steps. Her eyes widened suddenly and she dug in her bag for her key.

"Essays!' she muttered in panic. "Must grade essays!" She pushed open her door and and then closed it behind her.


	8. Chapter 8

"Oooooh….." Elizabeth sighed as she pulled the horse drawn wagon to a stop at the top of the hill. The house site was a bee hive of activity already as workers were in and out of the open front doors carrying boards in. The outside planks were up. Windows hand been framed and were awaiting glass inserts. The roof was on. Then she saw him. Jack stood in the window frame of an upstairs room and waved as he stopped hammering a wooden sill in place. She could barely contain herself with smiles as she climbed down from the wagon and met Maeve and Abigail at the back of the wagon. Abigail laughed as they released the pin locks that held the back of the wagon up.

"Go on," she said. "We can do this." Elizabeth grinned appreciatively and headed up the grassy stretch toward Jack's house. Their house.

She made her way up the wide steps to the soon to be covered porch and in the open front door. Her eyes took in the huge open first floor with its kitchen area at one end with its shelves, counters and stone sink and pump. There was a spot reserved for the stove that had yet to arrive but a wood box already waited by the open back door. Walls would undoubtedly be up soon. On the other end of the room there was a cluster of men working on the hearth for the large stone fireplace.

She was flooded with a memory from a night at the Harper homestead. 'Curling up by a warm fire with someone I love,' he'd said. Elizabeth smiled softly at the thought and moved toward the newly constructed staircase in the center of the room. The banister had yet to be placed but she lifted her skirts and headed up them carefully. Jack was waiting for her at the top.

"When did you finish the stairs?" she asked. He took her hand and helped her up the last few steps and pressed a kiss to her lips when she was close.

"Last night," he said. "Came out to get ready and just worked by lantern light. I had nothing else to do and want it to be done." They exchanged glances and he chuckled. She made her way to the window where he'd been working and looked outside. More wagons were arriving and covered dishes were added to the long table made of planks and saw horses near the wagon she'd driven. Abigail, Maeve and Rosemary were organizing the picnic lunch and children were running in the grass everywhere. Beyond them were trees in the fresh green bloom of late spring. Beyond that hills and mountains rose in the horizon. Elizabeth relaxed contentedly against him as Jack slipped his arms around her.

"I want this to be our room," she said happily. "I want to be able to lie in bed in the mornings and watch the snow fall and go to sleep at night watching the sun set from this window." Jack chuckled as he nuzzled her ear.

"And would that be before or after the cows are milked, the eggs gathered and the children fed?" he asked.

"Some things are just going to have to wait," she admonished him playfully. Jack grinned and pulled her away from the window and checked the staircase before drawing her closer for a kiss. They both looked up as there was a soft clatter on the roof above them. The floor boards of the attic had yet to be placed so they were looking straight up to the roof.

"Raccoon?" she asked. Jack moved across to the open window on the other side of the house and peeked out. A pair of small, bare feet hung over the edge of the eaves. He shook his head.

"It's Lou," he whispered.

"Lou!" Elizabeth's eyed widened in horrified shock. "Get her down from there, Jack. It's too dangerous!"

"Hey, Lou?" Jack called upwards calmly as he held a hand up to quiet Elizabeth. The feet quickly disappeared over the eaves. Jack rolled his eyes and Elizabeth's mouth dropped open as he climbed through the window.

"Don't tell anyone," he said has he looked back at her. "I don't want to scare her and have her fall." He braced himself on the roof overhang and then hoisted himself onto the roof.

"Jack…" Elizabeth gasped in fear and then leaned against the wall next to the window to wait.

The little girl had folded herself into a tight little ball. She was wearing her worn overalls and a flannel shirt. Her bare toes touched the roof edge. Jack rolled over and sat nearby with his feet dangling. He looked down and was a little sick at the distance to the ground. He'd been up higher when they were adding shakes to the roof but the thought of the little girl being there was scary.

"How did you get up here?" he asked calmly. She unwrapped an arm and pointed in the general direction of a ladder and the frame of the porch roof.

"And no one saw you?" Jack nodded in feigned approval.

"They're all busy on the other side," she said and tucked her arm back around her folded legs. She rested her chin on her knees as Jack studied her thoughtfully.

"So you just wanted some time alone?" he asked. Lou was silent as she turned her face away from him and hugged her knees a little tighter.

"Lou," he said quietly after a moment. "Miss Thatcher is inside and is worried about you too. Maybe we can help." She turned her head slowly toward him and his heart broke a little as tears dripped down her cheek and off the end of her nose. There was already a wet circle on her pants at top of her knees.

"I want to go home," she said shakily. "I just want to go back to our little cabin….with Pap." Her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to stop the tears and Jack reached out to wrap a strong arm around her. He drew the little girl carefully to his side and held her close.

"I'm not sure that's possible any more, Lou," he soothed her. "There are too many people in this town that love you right now. We would miss you." Lou sagged against him and began to sob quietly. He just held her close and swung his feet so Elizabeth would know that everything was fine.

Elizabeth waited quietly but her heart was pounding in her chest. It seemed like forever and an hour until Jack was lowering Lou over the edge of the roof so she could swing herself to the open window where Elizabeth waited to grab her to safety. Then she dropped to her knees to hug the little girl close.

"Lou!" Elizabeth scolded her gently. "What were you thinking to be on the roof?"

"She was thinking that it was a much better view up there," Jack laughed quietly as he climbed back into the house. Elizabeth stood up again and wrapped both of them in her shaking embrace.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" she cried. Jack pulled back and his eyes met Elizabeth's and he frowned slightly and shook his head. Elizabeth knelt down and studied Lou's reddened eyes and swollen cheeks. She waited.

"I heard them talking, Miss Thatcher," Lou blurted. "Pap said she has to take me away with her. He said he can't take care of me anymore. But that's not true. Pap needs me. I take care of him." Her blue eyes filled with tears again and Elizabeth cuddled her close as she cried. Her own eyes filled with tears as she looked at Jack helplessly. He sat on the edge of the window and frowned sadly. Finally Elizabeth straightened and stood the little girl in front of her.

"Louisa Sorcha Mackenzie," she said firmly. "You are the most resourceful person that I have never met. You can handle baby squirrels, reciting poetry in front of crowds of people and now climbing to roof tops? You can handle just about anything." Louisa studied her teacher for a moment and then shrugged slowly.

"But I just want to go home," she said sadly. Elizabeth hugged her close again and looked up at Jack.

"Lou?" Abigail's voice trailed up the steps as she climbed toward them. Lou pulled away from Elizabeth and wiped her eyes quickly with her shirt sleeve. Abigail smiled brightly when she saw them.

"Cody is looking for you," she said. "Mr. Harper is helping the children frame a chicken coop. He is sure that you would want to help." Lou looked back at Jack and then was off down the stairs. Abigail gasped slightly as she brushed past her in a hurry. Then her face fell as she saw the looks Elizabeth and Jack were exchanging.

"What are we going to do, Jack?" Elizabeth asked as she stood up again. Jack thought for a moment and then leaned back on the window sill.

"I guess we're going to take her home," he said. Elizabeth's shoulders dropped in resignation as she studied him. Abigail's eyes went from one to the other in confusion.

"Apparently I missed something here?" she asked. Elizabeth sighed sadly and leaned into Jack's embrace.


	9. Chapter 9

Elizabeth guided her horse carefully through the overgrown trail in the woods and studied the two on horses in front of her. Maeve and Lou were chattering away as their horses picked their way through rocks and roots of trees on the path. Sunlight dappled through the branches and spilled over patches of green grasses, spreading moss and tangles of wild flowers. Elizabeth leaned forward as her horse headed up another rise and then she glanced back at Jack on the horse behind her.

"You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?" she asked quietly as she tipped her head forward at the mother and daughter duo. Jack shrugged and tightened his hold on the reins in his hand.

"I was hoping it would," he replied with a satisfied grin. "I thought they just needed some time away from everything."

"Well, this is definitely….away," Elizabeth chuckled wryly as she glanced around the remote area of forest.

"It's not too much farther," he laughed. "I know that you're probably saddle sore." Elizabeth cast a frown in his direction and heeled her horse to move a little faster to keep up with Lou's horse. Suddenly their line of horses broke into a clearing and Elizabeth was aghast. Sunlight flooded the open circle in the trees to reveal a log cabin that seemed to be buried in the hillside. Two wooden chairs stood by the door and there were remains of a fire in the circle's center. A huge iron pot hung on a tripod over the blackened circle of rock. There was a shed off to the side and a sturdy protective pen near that. The fence posts and bars were a little low but still able to confine their rides. Maeve and Lou had dismounted and were leading their horses to the pen. Lou lifted the bar on the leather hinged gate and waited while Elizabeth dismounted and Jack took her reins and led their horses into the temporary corral. She closed the gate so they could unsaddle the horses and let the animals walk about freely. She was grinning as she moved toward Elizabeth.

"This is where I live, Miss Thatcher," she said. "This is my home. My REAL home."

"It's beautiful, Lou," Elizabeth assured her as she looked around.

"The house is not as big as your house but its…cozy," Lou took her head and tugged her toward the cabin's entrance. The little girl reached into a hidden slot in the door frame and pulled out a leather thong that stretched through an obscure hole in the top of the door. Lou tugged and Elizabeth heard a latch lift on the other side and the little girl pulled the heavy wooden door open. She grinned up at Elizabeth and led her inside.

Lou was right. It was cozy. And damp and dark. Elizabeth squinted into the darkness and heard the squeak of a tin can top twisting open and then the scratch of a match lighting. Lou replaced the glass chimney of a lit oil lamp on the fireplace mantle and the little room was flooded with a dim light. A bed was built against one wall while a ladder stretched up to a small loft overhead. There was a fire place swept clean of ashes and a small wooden table stood against the wall next to it. Lou started to climb the ladder and Elizabeth gave a startled scream as something jumped down from the loft, landed on the table and then rustled through the hem of her riding skirts as it hurried out the door. She followed it out the door and bumped into Jack.

"It was just a raccoon," Jack said as his hands clasped her shoulders to steady her. "It probably got in through the chimney."

"Just a raccoon?" Elizabeth chided as she glared at him. Jack's mouth slipped into a lopsided grin.

"I found them!" Lou called from the loft and then eased past Elizabeth at the door. She carried a wrapped bundle to Maeve who was just standing by the fire pit looking around….absorbing.

"They were right where you said they would be," Lou said proudly. "I never ever saw them before." Maeve took the bundle and unwrapped the oiled animal skin and then the paper and held two slim books in her hands. She studied each of them thoughtfully for a long moment and then handed them to Lou.

"Your grandmother got them for me when I was your age," she said. "They're yours now." Lou took the books from her carefully and studied the titles.

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll," she read. "Little Women by Louisa May Alcott…" Lou's eyes widened.

"That's my name," she said in wonderment. She looked up at Maeve. "Did you name me that because of this book?" Maeve nodded and then glanced upward into the trees.

"The creek is still that way, right?" she asked pointing due east. Lou nodded and handed the books to Elizabeth.

"I can show you," Lou declared excitedly. She tripped off after Maeve and took her hand as they headed into the woods. She stopped and turned back toward Jack and Elizabeth.

"I also found a nest with coon babies in the loft," she said happily. "They're still really small. Their mama will be back tonight, I'm guessing." She turned back to Maeve and they continued to pick their way through the greenery.

"Back? Tonight?" Elizabeth called to them. "And just where are we supposed to sleep?" Jack's grin widened and then faded quickly when she turned to him.

"You love camping," he said.

"Yes," she nodded in dismay. "….when we're prepared."

"I brought…blankets?" he said with a shrug. Elizabeth grimaced.

"But no tent, right?" she sighed. He shook his head slightly and she rolled her eyes.

"I'll start looking for firewood," she stated determinedly as she set off into the bushes.

"Be careful what you reach for," he warned with a grin. "Make sure it's not a snake." Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks for a long moment. Then she straightened her shoulders, lifted her skirts a bit higher and started off again. Jack laughed quietly and headed toward the big woodpile that he knew was behind the shed.

It wasn't long before they were sitting by a crackling fire together. The sun had moved behind the trees and the air in the clearing was beginning to cool in the late afternoon.

"They've been gone a long time," she said as she leaned back in the chair he had moved from the cabin to the fireside. "Aren't you worried? Maybe getting a little hungry?" Jack shook his head.

"They're fine," he said as he reached over and took her hand in his. "I am enjoying this time with my girl." Elizabeth grinned and glanced at him coyly as she tightened her fingers around his. She leaned back to look up at the circle of sky above them.

"How did you find this place, Jack," she asked.

"I found…them...first," he explained. "I told you that. Mackenzie was pretty fierce….and protective…that day. I told you about that ax incident. But Lou…." Jack chuckled.

"She was like a bit of sunshine next to him," he went on. "Happy just to see another person, I think. She talked a mile a minute. I think he decided that I was pretty trustworthy if she thought I was. I chopped wood for them in exchange for dinner and that night he asked me if I would post a letter for him when I came back to town."

"To Maeve," she interrupted.

"To a banker in New York City and that was about a year ago," he clarified. "I checked on them now and then. And when a reply to the letter came I brought it up to him and he decided to move to town."

"Miss Thatcher!" Elizabeth straightened in the chair as Lou burst back into the clearing.

"We found my gran's old herb garden!" the little girl cried excitedly as she fairly bounced to her teacher's side. "Did you know that my gran lived in a big house when she was a little girl and that there was a person who worked there that did nothing but cook for their family? Can you imagine that? Isn't that just a wonder?" Elizabeth glared at him as Jack laughed and then she turned back to the little girl.

"My gran learned all about cooking and then she taught my mother," Lou went on. "My mother remembers all about spices and snares and how to pluck feathers…."

"There are just some things you can never forget," Maeve laughed as she followed Lou into the clearing. Jack jumped up to take the cleaned stick that held two trussed birds ready to roast over the fire. Smaller stick 'pins' held the birds together and Elizabeth recognized the sprigs of rosemary peeking from the insides. Lou held out a fist full of pheasant feathers.

"I saved some of the feathers for the kids at school," she said. "My mother said all the fashionable ladies in the big city wear them on their hats." Maeve chuckled as she knelt near the fire and helped Jack pile rocks on either side of the fire to set their dinner near the coals to roast. She eyed Elizabeth as she took a cloth napkin from a bag at her feet and carefully wrapped the feathers into a neat package.

"You can put it in Mountie Jack's saddle bag for now," she said as she handed the package to Lou and the little girl skipped off to the saddles that were lined along the top of the corral fence. Elizabeth watched her as she found the right saddle and then she turned back to the fire. She drew her jacket closer about studied the coals that sizzled as juices ran from the meat cooking on the make shift spit.

"I can't imagine growing up here," she said softly. "So far away from everything and everyone." Maeve shrugged.

"It wasn't that bad," she said. "There are lots of places to explore, used to be goats to take care of….and I could read." They all looked up as Lou came to stand next to her. Maeve looked up with a smile that faded as she took in the serious look on the girl's face.

"Pap told me where to find this," she said quietly. "He said I was to give it to you." She held out a small buckskin bag and Maeve hesitated before taking it from her. She carefully undid the laces that held the bag shut and pour the contents in to her hand. Elizabeth gasped as she saw the emerald brooch and creamy pearl necklace that spilled over Maeve's palm.

"They're beautiful," she sighed quietly.

"They were my mother's," Maeve said. "They were gifts from her adoptive parents. Heirlooms actually." Lou dropped to her knees beside Maeve and studied the jewels in her hand.

"There was a diamond necklace that they sold in order to travel west and buy this land," Maeve explained. "My mother gave me diamond and pearl earrings when I left. I was supposed to sell them and go to school somewhere."

"Did you?" Lou asked. Maeve looked down at her daughter and shook her head slowly.

"I still have the pearls," she said. "They're in a safe deposit box at my bank in New York." Lou frowned in confusion.

"But what did you do?" she asked. "Pap says people need actua money to live in towns and cities. Did you have money?" Maeve tucked the jewelry back into the leather bag and handed it back to Lou.

"I found my way," she answered determinedly. "By myself." Jack exchanged somber glances with Elizabeth and then turned the meat stick resting on the rocks.

"This is going to be a delicious dinner," he said, changing the subject. "Can you get the trenchers from the cabin, Lou?" The little girl nodded, dropped the bag to the ground near Maeve and hurried back to the open door of the house. Maeve frowned as she studied the bag on the ground for a moment and then turned her attention back to the food cooking on the fire.


	10. Chapter 10

The fire had been banked and its glowing coals radiated warmth and low light. Jack was wrapped in a rough blanket his head resting on his arm close to hers. He'd been asleep almost immediately. He had insisted that she take the quilt from the trunk in the cabin so she had the extra warmth inside her blanket. On the other side of the fire Lou's face was barely visible snuggled against her mother under a bear skin, sound asleep and softly snoring.

"It's a family trait," Maeve sighed softly with a smile. "Poor child." Elizabeth grinned and turned her eyes up to gaze at the stars in the clear black sky. It was so beautiful. So very peaceful.

"I can't do what he wants me to do. He expects me stay here again." Elizabeth frowned slightly at the words and turned her head back to look at Maeve. The younger woman was watching her intently her chin resting on Lou's curly head.

"Everywhere I go I keep waiting for someone to recognize me as Mae Mackenzie," she said. She tipped her head and nuzzled Lou's red curls with her nose. "I am Maeve Murriael now. I have nicer clothes than I did. I have respect for my….talents. I have good companions from the theater world but some things are difficult to hide."

"She won't care," Elizabeth assured her. Maeve smiled in the light from the fire and shifted Lou closer to her side.

"I was going to take her with me," she said. "When I left. My mother knew I wanted to leave. She told me that no school would take me with a child. No one would hire me if I had the baby. She gave me the earrings to sell. The money was supposed to be for tuition."

"But you had to leave Lou behind…." Elizabeth shifted to her side and tucked her crooked arm under her head.

"That was what she wanted," she said abruptly. "It was for the best. It still is."

"Children are adaptable," Elizabeth replied firmly.

"Really?" Maeve glared at her. "Take her away from all this? The trees….mountains…your class…..my father? I'd have to put her in school in New York and then go to London. She'd be all alone there."

"There are schools in London," Elizabeth said as she nestled her head more comfortably in her elbow. "I'm pretty sure there are trees too." Maeve met Elizabeth's gaze and sighed deeply.

"Your daughter is so like you," Elizabeth went on. "This….will not be enough for her either before long. She has curiosity and a strong desire to learn about everything. She has such a gift for oratory. That gift has to be explored and strengthened and….

"This has been the best day of my life," Maeve interrupted softly. "It's going to have to be enough. For both of us. I'll get them settled in town but then I have to go." With that she closed her eyes, tucked her chin to her chest, snuggled deeper into the bear skin. The conversation was over. Elizabeth sighed sadly and shook her head. Tears stung her eyes as she stared up at the stars and recounted events of the day. Lou was so happy to be showing them everything. Even happier when Maeve shared things she remembered. The swelling knot in her chest began to ease as she felt Jack's hand creep slowly into hers. She turned her head up and met his eyes as he studied hers. His hand reached over to cup her cheek and caress the soft skin there. He nodded slightly. He knew they would find a way. He winked she pressed a grateful kiss into the palm of his hand. She smiled at him, snuggled into her quilt, closed her eyes and drifted into an exhausted sleep.

It was afternoon before they made their way back into town. Lou rode behind Maeve on a single horse because the fourth horse was stacked high with bundles they had packed from the cabin. Elizabeth followed the pack horse and Jack brought up the rear. They headed past storefronts toward the livery. Lou eased herself off the horse, missed the stirrup and landed in the dirt on her bottom. Maeve laughed and dismounted quickly holding tight to the reins as she helped the little girl up and away from the horse's hooves. Lou giggled and brushed the seat of her overalls off and took the reins of the pack horse as Maeve led their horse into the stable.

"Nice dismount, Lou," Elizabeth chuckled as she slipped off her own horse. Lou giggled again and reached up to rub the horse's nose.

"Jack!" Faith called to him from the steps in front of the infirmary. He glanced over and frowned when he saw the desperate look on her face. He handed his reins to Elizabeth and strode across the street. Elizabeth's smile faded slowly as she watched their conversation. Jack turned his head to look from her to Lou and then back to her. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

Elizabeth glanced over at Lou and then Maeve, who had stepped out of the stable and was standing by her daughter watching her with the horse for a moment. Then Elizabeth saw Abigail headed across the street toward them from the café and she knew. Her heart was pounding as she felt Jack standing next to her as she watched Maeve. The young woman looked up at them and her smile slowly faded as she took in their faces. Her eyes darted from them to Faith watching sadly from the infirmary steps and Abigail getting closer. She reached out and put her hand on Lou's shoulder. The little girl looked up at her and then her blue eyes turned to Jack and Elizabeth. She studied them for a long moment as her smile faded. She looked up at her mother in confusion and then dropped the reins.

"Pap," she cried suddenly and turned to run toward the lane to the row house.

"Lou!" Elizabeth reached for her but Jack caught her first.

"Let me go!" she screamed as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her feet. Jack grimaced as Lou kicked and howled trying to tear his arms away. Abigail drew a frozen Maeve close to her side as they watched Jack struggle with the terrified child.

"Calm down right now!" he ordered.

"Let me go!" she screamed again as she continued kicking and fighting him.

"I will when you settle down and listen to us," he said. Lou groaned and stopped struggling. She glared at them all as Jack set her back on the ground and loosened his grip on her. He'd no sooner let her go when she tried to run and he lifted her off her feet again. She was like a desperate, wild animal in the middle of the widening circle of concerned spectators. Elizabeth shook her head sadly and finally moved toward Jack and Lou.

"Louisa Sorcha Mackenzie!" she said firmly. "Settle down….right now." Lou struggled for a second longer and then stopped. Elizabeth wiped the tears from her eyes and knelt down on the ground as Jack let the little girl slip down. She was still and expressionless as he turned her toward her teacher. Elizabeth sighed heavily.

"It's the worst possible news that you could ever….ever….get," Elizabeth said with resignation. She bit her lip and studied the little girl's white face. Each and every freckle stood out as if they'd just been painted on alabaster skin. Her red curls were plastered to her forehead with the sweat of exertion. Her blue eyes were angry and tear filled. Her hands were clenched in tight fists and Elizabeth reached out to take one in her own hands. She gently peeled back the tight little fingers and smoothed Lou's hand into her own.

"You're not alone, Lou," she said softly. "No matter how bad it is or what you are feeling, you are not alone." Lou's shoulders began to heave and her lips to quiver as tears spilled from her eyes. She fell limply into Elizabeth's arms and began to sob. Elizabeth held her close as she cried, tears spilling down her own cheeks.

"I have to see Pap," Lou said as she pulled back and looked at her teacher. "I just have to see him."

"Sweetheart, he's not there," Elizabeth's voice cracked with emotion.

"It's okay, Lou," Maeve said as she moved from Abigail's side. She held out her hand. "We'll both go." Lou looked from Elizabeth to her mother and hesitated a moment before slipping her hand into Maeve's. The circle around them parted as the two of them made their way down the street to the lane toward the row houses.

"Jack," Elizabeth gasped as he helped her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. Faith put a hand on her arm.

"I'll go," she said. "Dr. Shepherd is there. He's been waiting for you to get back." Elizabeth nodded and Faith forced a smile as she hurried to catch up with Maeve and Lou. Elizabeth watched them and then turned her gaze back to Jack. She took a deep, quivering breath and then settled into the comforting circle of his arms.


	11. Chapter 11

"What happened to him, Miss Thatcher?" Emily asked as she rested her chin on her fists. She sat crossed legged, elbows on her knees, on the quilt they had spread on the grass in the sun.

"Oh honey, he was very sick," Elizabeth explained as she looked at each of the children sitting around her. "He just went to sleep and never woke up again. Nurse Carter went to check on him and she found him."

"No, I mean what happened to him now?" the little girl had a quizzical frown on her face.

"Constable Thornton, Mr. Coulter and some men from the mill are taking his body to his cabin up in the mountains," Elizabeth explained patiently. "They are going to bury him next to Lou's grandmother." Some of the children nodded in silent approval.

"My daddy went to help," Philip interjected.

"I know he did," Elizabeth smiled. "And that's why you will be having dinner with Maggie and Timmy's family tonight." The three of them sat up a bit straighter and grinned at one another.

"Did Lou go too?" Anna asked. Elizabeth shook her head.

"Her mother did," she said. "It's too long of a ride for her to make again. We are going to have a memorial service here on Sunday."

"But where's Lou?" Opal tucked Brownie closer in her and rested her chin on his head.

"She was sleeping at my house when I left for school," Elizabeth said. "It was a long, sad night for her. Mrs. Coulter is staying with her." They all sat quietly for a long moment. Elizabeth sighed and then straightened her shoulders.

"I know that we are all sad for Lou but I thought, maybe, we could come up with some things to say at the memorial service," she said brightly as she looked at them. "We can all share some memories of him with Lou and her mother."

"He was very scary looking," Robert replied with a slight nod. Cody groaned and pushed him. Opal jumped up and glared at him.

"He wasn't scary looking," she cried. "He was brave! He fought a cougar!" Elizabeth gently pulled the angry little girl back to the quilt beside her. Opal tucked herself into Elizabeth's side and continued to glare at Robert.

"He knew all about wild animals," Anna offered.

"Very good, Anna," Elizabeth smiled.

"But he never got the chance to come and teach us about them," Cody sighed.

"Oh but he would have," Elizabeth reassured them. "He was so happy to get your invitation to visit our class."

"He wore a dress to our poetry night…." Robert added slowly and thoughtfully. The children groaned again and this time Cody and Timmy pushed him.

"It was a kilt, Robert," Elizabeth shook her head and corrected him. "Mr. Mackenzie was from Scotland and every family – or clan – has a different plaid to wear. Mr. Mackenzie's plaid was folded into that kilt. And I have heard…" She looked around at their inquisitive faces.

"…that Scottish Highlanders were pretty fierce in battle," she finished.

"And scary," Robert added as he nodded. Opal sat up straighter next to Elizabeth as something across the field caught her eye.

"Lou…." she said quietly. She stood up and started across the grass toward Lou and Rosemary, who were walking hand in hand toward the schoolhouse. One by one the others got up and moved toward their friend until Lou was surrounded in hugs and smiles.

"She wanted to come to school," Rosemary said apologetically as she moved away from the children and approached Elizabeth. "I thought maybe it was the best place for her to be." Elizabeth stood up and straightened her skirts.

"The children have been very worried about her," Elizabeth said. "I'm glad she is here. Thank you for bringing her.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me," Rosemary winked. She smiled as she gazed at the group of children who were now playing tag.

"Abigail stopped us on the way here," she said. "She is making dinner for us at the café after school."

"Oh Rosemary," Elizabeth shook her head slowly, "I don't think…" Rosemary stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"She belongs with her family, Elizabeth," she said softly. "We all do at a time like this." Elizabeth's shoulders sagged a little and she turned her eyes to Rosemary and nodded slowly.

"I'll see you there this afternoon," Rosemary patted Elizabeth's arm and then headed back toward Main Street returning a wave toward the children as she left.

"Miss Thatcher," Anna came to a stop in front of her with an arm linked through Lou's. "Can we go for a nature walk in the woods this afternoon? It's a nice day for one." Elizabeth looked down at their expectant faces. Lou's big, blue eyes were pleading so Elizabeth nodded with a smile.

"I think that is a very good idea," she declared. "Why don't you two go tell the others and then we will go." The look of relief on Lou's face was worth all of the re-planning she would need to do to cover this afternoon. Rosemary was right. Lou needed to be with her family. There were squeals and happy shouts as her class began running toward and gathered around her. It was going to be a good dayafter all.

Dinner was finished and Cody and Lou were helping Abigail with dishes when the horses and riders filed back into town. Elizabeth and Rosemary were waiting on the porch of the café when Jack, Lee and Maeve left their horses at the livery. Jack and Lee waited as Maeve climbed the steps to the café first and was greeted with hugs from Elizabeth and Rosemary.

"She's inside helping Abigail," Elizabeth said quietly answering the younger woman's unasked question. Maeve nodded, opened the café door and went inside. Jack slipped into Elizabeth's embrace as Rosemary and Lee kissed.

"Abigail has dinner ready for you if you'd like some," Rosemary offered. Lee grimaced apologetically.

"I think I'd rather just head home," Lee sighed. "It's been a long day. Do you mind?"

"Of course not," Rosemary smiled and drew her shawl a little closer. She glanced at Elizabeth as she slipped her hand into Lee's.

"Can you thank Abigail for us?" she asked. Elizabeth nodded and then frowned a little as Jack eased himself gingerly at her side.

"Are you all right?" she asked. He shrugged and reached for the door of the café. Elizabeth studied him with concern as he limped inside ahead of her. Maeve was sitting at a table as Lou stood in front of her holding her hands. Abigail approached them with a napkin covered plate.

"We're going home to our house now, Miss Thatcher," Lou said. Elizabeth turned to Maeve.

"You don't have to," she said quickly. "You are more than welcome to stay another night at my house."

"We need to go home," Maeve shrugged. She looked at Lou and smiled softly. "Just the two of us."

"Well, here's a hot meal to take with you," Abigail said brightly as she handed the covered plate to Maeve. "And there's an extra cookie in there for someone else." Lou grinned as Abigail tapped a finger on the little girl's nose.

"Good night," Maeve said as the two of them left.

"The food is in the kitchen," Abigail said as she tipped her head toward the back of the café. Jack nodded and limped after them. Abigail studied his labored gait and held out a chair and he sat down.

"Roll 'em up," she ordered as she picked up a towel and headed for the pump at the sink. He reached down and reluctantly raised his pant legs.

"Jack!" Elizabeth gasped as she saw the deep purple bruises on his shins. "What happened?" Abigail hurried from the sink with a cold compress and handed it to him. Jack winced as he pressed the cloth to his legs. Elizabeth knelt down and took the cloth from him and held it in place herself.

"Did you get kicked by a horse?" she asked.

"More like a 10 year old with some very hard boots," he said. "Two days ago…"

"I thought she was eight?" Abigail commented from the table where she was fixing him a dinner plate.

"She's nine," Elizabeth corrected with a worried glance from the bruises on his legs. She winced herself as she moved the compress to another area and held it in place.

"I think you should have Dr. Shepherd look at this tomorrow," she went on.

"I'm fine," Jack laughed as he took the plate and fork Abigail offered him. He grinned and nodded in approval. "Thank you." His grin changed painfully as Elizabeth moved the compress again.

"Ow!" She looked up at him and smiled.

"Tomorrow?" she asked. He frowned and then nodded before taking a bite from his plate. Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she exchanged glances with Abigail. Abigail chuckled and handed her a fresh compress.

It was quiet at the Coulter house as Lee was getting ready for bed. Rosemary watched him from the bed. He eyed her for a long moment and then pulled the quilt back as he crawled in beside her. He wrapped an arm around her and Rosemary snuggled into his side.

"I'm glad you spent some time with her today," he said finally. Rosemary nodded and rested a hand on his chest.

"Lee…." she started. He sighed heavily.

"She already has a mother, sweetheart," he replied. "And a pretty amazing one, I learned today."

"But I know better than anyone what her life is like," she went on. "Theater means rehearsals that can last all day and performances that go well into the night. What kind of life is that going to be for a child? And she'll be in London. At least I can help her develop her talent….right here…where she is loved." Le sighed again and drew her even closer. He pressed a kiss to Rosemary's forehead.

"Maeve loves her too. We have to let them figure it out themselves," he said quietly. Rosemary raised her head to meet his eyes with hers.

"And if they can't?" Her brows were drawn in a worried frown.

"We'll make sure she knows we're here to help," he assured her. "I promise." Rosemary smiled softly and snuggled back against him.

"We'll need to get started on that theater you promised me as well," she said. Lee laughed and shook his head against the pillow as he wrapped his other arm around his wife.

"There is no end…." he sighed happily as she kissed his cheek.


	12. Chapter 12

"She's over there," Jack gestured toward the pond. Elizabeth followed his line and frowned quizzically.

"In the rowboat?" she asked quietly. He nodded.

"I saw her there but she pulled a blanket over her head to hide from me," he explained. "I don't think she is going to talk to me." Elizabeth sighed. Jack grabbed her elbow to stop her as she headed down the path toward the boat in the pond.

"Elizabeth…" he warned. "What are you going to do?" She sighed and pulled gently away from him.

"Jack," she said. "You've taken me out lots of times. How hard can it be?" A smile teased his lip as he stepped back and watched her pick her way through the weeds and rocks on the path to the rowboat. He folded his arms across his chest and suppressed a grin as she lifted her skirts and stepped into the boat. She balanced precariously for a moment and then settled herself on the seat he usually took. She struggled to fit one oar into its lock and used the other to push the boat off shore. She glanced back triumphantly and slipped the second oar into place before gently guiding the boat into deeper waters. Suddenly the blanket in the bow of the boat flew aside and Lou reached out to grab both sides of the boat.

"Oh….Louisa," Elizabeth said matter of factly as she pulled on the oar. The rowboat wobbled slightly in the water and Lou frowned. "I didn't know you were in here. I just thought I would go for a short row before the memorial service." The little girl's frowned deepened and she settled herself deep into the bow of the boat.

"I'm not going," she muttered and didn't look at Elizabeth. "You can't make me."

"That's okay," Elizabeth assured her. "I won't go either. But your friends have been collecting memories to share with you and Maeve."

"They didn't know him," she said defensively. "Not really." Elizabeth's heart broke a little as she studied the sad, little girl huddled in front of her.

"Oh Lou," she sighed as she looked out over the pond. "They might surprise you. They know a lot about your Pap." The boat rocked wildly as Lou suddenly jumped to her feet. Elizabeth gasped and reached for the sides of the boat.

"They never even saw him until the Poetry Night," Lou cried as she put her hands angrily on her hips. "No one even talked to him because he never came in to town. He was afraid of what they would think of him!" She wobbled a bit but didn't pull away as Elizabeth reached for her and helped her onto the seat next to her.

"You brought him to school with you every day, Lou," she said as she wrapped an arm around the girl and held her close to her. "You made your Pap come to life for every friend in our classroom. He taught them so much through you. They admire him as much as you do." Lou lifted sad eyes to her and Elizabeth smiled a bit. She reached up to the straggled ribbon that held Lou's curls off her face and retied it into a bow.

"They can't," Lou said as a tear dripped off the end of her nose. Elizabeth pulled a snowy handkerchief from the pocket of her skirt and handed it to the little girl. Lou wiped the tears away and scrunched the handkerchief into a ball in her fist.

"I know that you feel all alone right now but you shouldn't," Elizabeth said as she wrapped her arm around her again. "There is someone that misses him just as much as you do. Maybe even more." Lou looked up at her teacher again and Elizabeth tipped her head toward shore. Maeve stood at the end of the path where the boat was always moored, hands clasped. Just waiting.

"She doesn't miss him," Lou sputtered. "She left us."

"She's here now," Elizabeth as she glanced back at Maeve. "She came when your Pap sent for her. That's important." Lou smoothed the skirt of her dark wool dress over her knees as she thought. She glanced in Maeve's direction and then sighed.

"I guess maybe I should go with her," she said as she looked up at Elizabeth, "so she's not alone either."

"That's a very good idea," her teacher said. Then Elizabeth shrugged.

"But we have a little bit of a problem," she said. "And you can't breathe a word to Mountie Jack about it." Lou frowned quizzically.

"I got the boat out here okay," Elizabeth said. "I'm just not sure I know how to get us back to that particular spot." Lou's mouth dropped open in surprise and she glanced back to shore and then up at Elizabeth. They both started giggling and each took hold of the oars and started to row.


	13. Chapter 13

Rosemary Coulter dropped her basket when Maeve Mackenzie bumped into her on the boardwalk in front of the stage station.

"I'm so sorry," the younger woman exclaimed as she bent to pick up the apples that rolled out of the basket.

"Oh its quite all right," Rosemary assured her as she looped the basket on her arm again and took the apples from Maeve. "You seem to have something on your mind." Maeve held up the slips of paper in her hand.

"Our tickets," she said. "We leave on the morning stage tomorrow."

"Tomorrow! " Rosemary was aghast. "But what about…"

"I received a wire from my agent," Maeve frowned sadly. "I have to get back to New York to prepare for the move to London. I have to take care of my apartment, talk to my banker, pack, get some new things for Louisa... It's another week until the next stage to the nearest train station." There was a rising note of panic in her voice and Rosemary frowned sympathetically. She linked her arm through Maeve's and walked with her toward the path to the row houses.

"Does Lou know?" she asked. Maeve shook her head.

"I just got the wire a little while ago," she said. "She'd already left for school. I was hoping things would be better between us before we had to leave but that's not going to happen."

"Everything is going to be all right," Rosemary assured her. She sighed as they walked.

"What an adventure London will be for both of you," she said brightly. "Oh! I'll make you a lunch for the stage. And you're going to need a suitcase for Lou's things. I have a perfect size for you to use. You can borrow it till you come back!"

"Oh, I couldn't," Maeve said. "We'll be in London for a year and I'm not sure where after that."

"It doesn't matter," Rosemary squeezed her elbow happily. "You can keep it as long as you need to." Rosemary took a deep breath and sighed happily.

"London!" She squealed happily and hugged Maeve.

"I'm not going to London," Lou declared just hours later as she jumped up from the dinner table. "I'm not going anywhere with her." Maeve sighed as the little girl stomped up the staircase. Maeve looked across the table at Jack and Elizabeth.

"I….don't know what to do," Maeve shrugged her shoulders. "She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Elizabeth reached out to her but Maeve slipped her hands into her lap. They all looked up as Lou stormed back down the stairs.

"I am going to go home now," Lou said firmly as she ignored the open suitcase at the foot of the stairs and dropped a leather bag on her chair at the table. She stuffed her extra shirt into it and looked around the room. She moved and grabbed her boots from beside the door. "I don't want to go with you." Maeve took a deep breath and stood up from the table. She folded her arms across her chest and stared out of the window. Elizabeth glanced aghast from the little girl to the young woman at the window and then took a deep breath. She reached out to squeeze Jack's hand and he nodded encouragingly.

"I am afraid you have to Lou," she said as she stood up from the table. Lou stopped stuffing the boots into her pack and stared up at her.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I said so," Elizabeth replied firmly. "You're too young to live all alone and you have a mother that can take care of you."

"I can take care of myself," the little girl said defiantly. "I know how to find food. I can just live in our cabin. Can't I?" She looked at Jack who shook his head slowly.

"Not all alone, Lou," he said. "There are too many people moving through the mountains these days. It wouldn't be safe for you."

"And Maeve loves you, sweetheart," Elizabeth said. "You need to be together."

"If she loves me, why did she leave me?" Lou's eyes filled with tears.

"There are so many ways to love someone, Louisa," Elizabeth knelt down in front of her and looked directly into those blue, blue eyes. "You can't begin to even count them all. Your Pap loved you by taking care of you every day and teaching you new things. Maeve loved you enough to leave you with him to do that. She's here now. It's her turn to take care of you."

"But…if I leave," Lou's face filled with panic. "My home will disappear. I'll never see it again. It'll all be gone. Just like Pap." Elizabeth placed her hands on the little girl's shoulders.

"Oh honey, that is not true," Elizabeth said as she drew her closer into a quick hug. "Hope Valley will always be here for you. It's your home. And it's in your heart forever. You'll carry it everywhere you go." Elizabeth pulled her back and wiped a tear off the freckled cheek with her thumb.

"Do you remember when you said that no one really knew your Pap? And I told you that you'd brought him to school every day?" Elizabeth said gently. "Do you remember how?" Lou frowned quizzically. She shook her head.

"With your words," Elizabeth smiled. "You told them everything about your Pap. You were able to take them to the top of that tree to see the whole valley from there. You took them inside a squirrel's nest to see all the babies. And that's why you need to go to London with Maeve. You can write to us and take us to a whole new city….." Elizabeth shook her head.

"No," she clarified. "It will be a whole new continent….with your words. There will be so much to see and do. You have to be able to tell us all about it." Lou blinked again and frowned.

"That's why I am making you go, Lou," Elizabeth said firmly. "Because you will be taking us…all of us…with you. Through your eyes." Lou slowly shook her curly head.

"But I'm scared," she replied tremulously.

"I am too," Maeve interrupted as she turned around slowly. "I am so very scared of going to London." She stepped carefully toward her daughter and sighed.

"But I'll hold your hand," she said softly, "if you hold mine." Maeve stretched a hand toward Lou and waited. The little girl studied her mother's hand for a moment and then looked at her teacher. Elizabeth smiled reassuringly. Then she looked up at Maeve and slipped her hand into the offered grasp.

Years later….

Elizabeth looked up from the bowl of green beans in her lap and smiled as the mail truck stopped at their box by the road. She waved at Miles as he closed the door on the mail box, waved back and headed on to the next house. Once they were all alone on this hill but as the town grew, so did the outlying community. Jack had managed to save a good piece of their farm but it was nice to have neighbors nearby. Cody and Anna were right next door and always ready to help out if they needed anything. And Abigail was a regular visitor to both their houses.

She looked in the bowl and decided there was enough for the two of them. They would need more for Sunday when the family came. They were having Shepherd's Pie this Sunday per William's birthday request. Elizabeth chuckled a little as she thought about their oldest grandchild. He was going to be four. An all important, curious, straight backed, loveable bundle of four. He had his grandpa's dimples and strong sense of duty before play. His dark curls were his mother's….and also hers. He was so protective of his little sister and helpful with his baby cousins.

Jack walked up the walk from the mailbox with a bundle in his hands. Their aging basset hound, Sugar, followed him. Elizabeth's heart pounded as her throat tightened watching him coming toward her. Still. After all these years. He was lean and trim in his denim pants and soft flannel shirt. No longer her red serged Royal Mountie in body but definitely still there in heart. There was just a touch of gray at his temples and he walked with a very slight limp. Wired rimmed glasses did nothing but enhance his piercing gaze.

"A letter from Julie," he said as he handed a letter and paper wrapped to her, "and a package." Elizabeth took the bundle from him. She looked at the return address on the package and set the letter with the bowl of beans on the small table near her chair. She carefully tore the paper away from the package.

"Oh, Jack, look," she sighed as she held up the brown leather bound book. He took the book from her and grinned as he read the gold embossed title.

"How many does this make now?" he asked as he flipped through the pages.

"Five," Elizabeth replied.

"The same dedication as always," he mused. He lifted his chin a little to read the inscription.

"To Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton and Maeve Muriall Mackenzie," he read proudly. "The teacher who made me go and the mother who held my hand." Elizabeth sighed happily as he handed the book back to her.

"We're going to read that together, right?" he asked. Elizabeth nodded and held the book to her chest. Jack's smile widened as he watched her savoring the moment.

"I'll finish in the barn and be right in for dinner," he said. "We have a town council meeting tonight."

"I know," she sighed again as she straightened. Reading the book would have to wait. But she knew where it would be waiting. She would put it in her book shelf with the others…..and Emily's published collection of poetry….and Philip's series of Science books for children.

"Egypt…..Through My Eyes," she read in a whisper. "By Louisa Sorcha Mackenzie." Elizabeth hugged the book again as she stood up from her rocker and looked over the town of Hope Valley spread before her.

"You've done it again, sweetheart," she said. "You brought the world back home." Elizabeth nodded her head in satisfied approval and carried the new book, her letter and bowl of beans into the house. There was dinner to make and a meeting to attend.

In Hope Valley.


End file.
